Cotton roll holders have been previously provided for isolating the lower anterior teeth from the lips, cheeks and tongue so that the teeth may be maintained in a dry condition while dental work is being performed. The previous cotton roll holders were generally unsatisfactory due to the amount of space that they occupied in the patient's mouth which seriously hampered the performance of dental work. Applicant's cotton roll holders described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,805,389 and 3,739,477 represent a distinct improvement over the prior art devices and this invention represents an improvement over applicant's earlier devices. The instant invention is intended to be of the disposable type which eliminates the need for sterilization of the holders after use.
In addition, the anterior cotton roll holder of the present invention is an improvement over the devices of my prior patents in that it is less bulky and can therefore be used with less discomfort to the patient, can be molded easier than my prior devices and is therefore less expensive to manufacture, and generally represents an overall improvement in, in use performance characteristics as well as increased ease of handling, storage and manufacture.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved cotton roll holder.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lower anterior cotton roll holder.
A further object of the invention is to provide a disposable lower anterior cotton roll holder comprising a pair of concentrically positioned arcuate cotton roll supporting members, secured to one another by an inverted U-shaped connecting arm having cotton rolls secured to their underside by adhesive or the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lower anterior cotton roll holder which does not interfere with the performance of dental work and provides little patient discomfort.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lower anterior cotton roll holder which is comprised of a plastic material or the like, is easy to manufacture and of decreased size.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a cotton roll holder which is economical in manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.